Recruiter reveals the real reason ‘unrealistic’ Generation Z keeps getting fired

In the United States, young workers are being laid off at an alarming rate. Experts believe this worrying trend could also hit Australia.

One report found that 75 percent of American companies were dissatisfied with their recent hiring of Generation Z, anyone age 27 or younger.

Intelligent’s survey found that six out of 10 employers had already terminated their recent graduate hires within a year.

The biggest problems employers saw with this generation of workers were that they were unprepared, often wanted to leave early, started late and had poor communication skills.

Recruitment expert Roxanne Calder said that while young people in Australia are not being laid off as quickly as young people in the US, workplaces still suffer from similar problems.

“The feedback I get from managers and employers is a mix of starting salaries being too high and expectations not being normal,” she told news.com.au.

Ms. Calder explained that it’s not unusual for a 2024 college graduate to earn $80,000 for an entry-level job, but “poor Gen Zers” don’t realize that with a higher salary comes higher expectations.

“If you get paid $80,000 for your first job, the company expects you to come on board and fire you, and Generation Z doesn’t have the technical or soft skills to do that,” she said.

Of the companies surveyed, 79 percent said they included younger employees in performance improvement plans, and 60 percent ultimately fired them.

Ms Calder said she was seeing a growing trend of Generation Zers having trouble communicating in the workplace and being unable to accept feedback.

“They find it difficult when their manager gives them feedback. They find it really difficult,” she said.

Sometimes Ms Calder will have a conversation with a young worker and then send them an email asking if they have anything to add because she says she has so much difficulty communicating in person.

Ms. Calder said that from her own experience as a boss, she found that when a younger employee was offered additional tasks so he could learn more, she immediately asked if he had been paid more instead of thanking her for the opportunity.

The recruitment expert has no doubt that Generation Z is currently struggling in Australian workplaces, with many companies telling her they simply won’t hire younger workers.

“I hear a lot of reluctance to hire Gen Z employees,” she said.

Ms Calder said bosses were becoming increasingly concerned that they were not “integrating” well into the workforce and “failing to live up to expectations”.

“They don’t want feedback, they want the career of their dreams, and then reality comes and they have a hard time balancing the two,” she said.

Speaking online about the report, Baxate Carter, a young American content creator, acknowledged that his generation had “unique challenges” but said it was important for young workers to try to improve their weaknesses.

His father sent him a link to the study and simply – and tellingly – wrote “hmm” after it.

Mr Carter claimed that so many young people “cheat” their way through their degrees, emerge with no knowledge and then have a “rude awakening” when they get their first job.

He said it was unreasonable to “expect a great work-life balance and a well-paying job” right after graduating from university, and also encouraged Generation Zers to dress well, speak openly and work on effective communication .

His advice was viewed more than four million times on TikTok, and young people were quick to share their stories of their workplace layoffs.

One Gen Zer admitted she was “terminated” after falling asleep during an internship, another said she got the ax because she wasn’t prepared to be treated “poorly” by managers, and one third claimed she was fired because she “defended herself.”

Another young worker said they tried to do the “completely professional” thing but still got “fired” and “at some point you just don’t care.”

Other comments defended Generation Z and claimed companies were responsible for the high turnover rate.

“The corporate structure is a throne of lies and Gen Z sees the game for what it is,” one wrote.

“These companies have unrealistic expectations,” claimed another.

Others were quick to point the finger at workers under 30, claiming a lack of commitment and work ethic.

“My husband’s Gen Z colleague just does exactly what he’s told and then plays on his computer until they find out he’s done,” one claimed.

“Gen Z apologizing in the comments instead of working hard proves the point,” wrote another.